


Ten Years Ago, This Day

by lonelyrealm



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Established Relationship, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:34:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28855152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonelyrealm/pseuds/lonelyrealm
Summary: A decade after their iconic performance, Eli and μ's reflect on their journey. Eli-centric but the whole gang's there.
Relationships: Ayase Eli & Toujou Nozomi, Ayase Eli/Toujou Nozomi, Hoshizora Rin/Koizumi Hanayo, Minami Kotori/Sonoda Umi, Nishikino Maki/Yazawa Nico
Comments: 8
Kudos: 37





	Ten Years Ago, This Day

**Author's Note:**

> This is months late lol I wanted to post this in time for the Snow Halation anniversary but I hadn’t written in such a long time and got a bit in my head about it. Er, anyway, enjoy~!

As soon as Eli sat down for work that day, she knew she'd be distracted. The whole week had been a bit of a blur with deadlines approaching and so it should have been a relief to have a slow day like today. But Eli's eyes shifted restlessly to the clock over and over again, finding that time was not moving fast enough for her. If anything, she would have preferred the hectic schedule.

At last, when 5'o clock hit, she didn't hesitate to turn off her computer and head out for the day. There was excitement thrumming in her bones.

As Eli left the office, it began to snow. Not enough to be worrisome but enough that she could easily see it coating the ground in a little while. She grinned, glancing up at the flurries with childish glee as they danced to the ground. Following one was nearly impossible when it twisted this way and that in the air, glimmering in the lights before becoming lost amongst others. All equally brilliant together as they were alone.

Like μ’s. At the thought, her chest felt tight.

She zipped up her coat so she was bundled up tightly. It wasn’t that cold but she could hear Nozomi’s voice in her head already about staying warm and not catching a cold. No amount of bragging about her Russian heritage could convince Nozomi otherwise.

Speaking of, her phone buzzed with a text from her wife asking when she would be home. As Eli began to reply, her phone lit up with several more messages, this time in a group chat. Her smile grew wider and she felt warm despite the chill. It was nice to see that everyone was so rowdy today.

She sent her text and slipped her phone back in her pocket. It was too nice to pass up a little walk and Eli figured she could indulge herself and take the circuitous route to the train station. Part of her was absolutely ecstatic to see everyone tonight. But right now, she enjoyed her solitude.

She turned onto the street that traversed along the park, knowing that the quiet here, away from the busier streets, would let her reminisce.

Had it really been 10 years?

She caught a snowflake and watched it melt into her hand.

Time disappeared just like that, didn’t it?

And there had been a time when she had been just as cold until the others had gotten her to melt.

She wasn't sure if she was feeling sad but most memories of her time with μ’s were tinged with bitter sweetness.

It had been cold that night too. Kotori’s costumes had kept them warm enough and the energy from the crowd had done the rest. She remembered falling into a very sweaty group hug at the end of it, heart beating wildly.

She had felt so free and light in that moment despite Rin smothering her from her side. No, had it been Hanayo? Or maybe Honoka?

Eli felt a twinge of guilt for forgetting even a minute detail.

What had it been like? At the very end of that performance? What had they all been thinking?

More importantly, what had been on her own mind?

Relief certainly. But the rest of it, that surge of warmth that was otherwise indescribable, what had it been exactly?

The crunch of her boots in the snow was a welcome sound to her somewhat distracted mind. She glanced behind herself just once and looked at her footprints on the otherwise pristine, white sidewalk.

More snow fell as she watched, softly blanketing her footprints.   
  
They too would be gone soon, she thought.

***

By the time Eli arrived home, the snow was coating the ground as she'd predicted. Her nose was probably pink and she felt the kind of tired one often feels after they’ve spent some time in the cold. Of course, it was all worth it when she opened the door to the apartment and was enveloped immediately by two ginger haired women.

“Eli’s here!” Rin whooped.

“Eli’s here!” Honoka echoed.

“We heard Rin. Let her come inside would you?” came Umi’s patient scolding.

“How can you have this much energy after work?” Eli chuckled as she mussed Rin’s hair. It had grown just slightly longer since the last time she’d seen her but Rin had retained the pageboy style she was known for. Thinking back on the insecure way the tomboyish woman used to feel, Eli was proud of how confident Rin was these days.

The earrings were new.

“Kayo-chin got them for our anniversary,” Rin said when she caught Eli looking. “Just a bit cuter than the ones you used to make right?”

Eli laughed. That had been one of the more fun parts of prepping before a live – hand making little accessories that would perfectly match Kotori’s costumes.

Honoka tugged at her arm impatiently then, blue eyes just as wide and bright as they had been in high school.

“Come on! You’re the only one that’s late today! I’m starving!”

Eli hurriedly toed off her shoes and hung up her coat but Honoka’s grip was relentless all the while.

“This is my house,” Eli grumbled but let herself get dragged into the cozy living room anyway.

Umi greeted her next with a firm handshake and a pat on the back, dark hair pulled away from her face in a bun. Kotori and Hanayo gave her a hug – Hanayo indeed sporting matching earrings and Kotori looking as stylish as ever.

Eli sat beside Maki who simply nodded in her direction.

“You missed it, Honoka was trying to juggle the mugs,” Maki said dryly.

“Ah well-,” Honoka began.

“We put a stop to it,” Kotori said, waving it away, eyes twinkling. Not a wrinkle on her, Eli thought astounded. She glanced over at Umi and had to stifle a giggle at the frown already forming. It was good those three balanced each other out so well.

“It would’ve been fine!” Honoka insisted.

“You did start off strong,” Hanayo said encouragingly. Even now, sweet as ever.

“Well, better to not risk making a mess,” Umi pointed out. “Besides they look important.”

“Ah, Nozomi’s parents started sending her one from each place they go,” Eli answered, picking up the one with an Eiffel tower on it.

“I was getting pretty good-,” Honoka began before Umi shot her a look.

As the childhood trio squabbled further, Eli took a moment to crane her neck trying to see into the kitchen.

“Nico’s in there I assume?” she asked Maki. The red head nodded, lazily swirling her drink. To outsiders it would appear she didn’t react much but her smile was already growing at the mention of Nico. Not that she’d ever admit to being so in love.

“Helping with the meal of course. She can’t sit still you know.”

“Neither of them can,” Eli mused. A yelp came from the kitchen and Nico came partially in view, holding a big pot. It probably contained rice from the way Hanayo suddenly sat up.

“Let’s go help them,” Eli said, smiling.

“May as well,” Maki sighed just as another yelp came from the kitchen.

Eli led the way into the kitchen, knowing her wife’s voice when she heard it, and sure enough, Nozomi was clutching her hand to herself as Nico tried to tug her close to inspect the injury.

“I told you it was hot!” Nico scolded as she turned Nozomi’s hand over, revealing a pink burn.

“Nozomi,” Eli called, rushing over. “Are you okay?” she asked worriedly, grabbing her beloved’s hand and inspecting it.

“Elichi, when did you get here?” Nozomi asked, “Ah it’s just a small burn,” she added, turning towards the sink and running cool water over it.

“What happened?” Eli asked, glancing towards the array of pots on the stove. “Oh, hi Nico.”

“Oh, hi. Really, Eli? That’s the greeting I get? Why do I bother…?” Nico muttered even though she accepted a hug. “It’s nothing. I told that idiot that the metal pan was hot and she said it didn’t look hot so I said ‘Wanna bet?’ and well…,” Nico trailed off, looking at Nozomi before the two burst into laughter.

“How can you laugh at a time like this?” Eli sighed, eyes still assessing the burn.

“Oh, it’s fine. My fault,” Nozomi said, waving it off. She then wrapped her arms around Eli’s neck and tugged her in for a kiss. “Welcome home, Elichi!”

“I’m home,” Eli smiled, sweetly nuzzling her wife in an eskimo kiss.

“Ew, get out of here.”

“Ah, sorry Nico,” Eli laughed.

“She was probably talking to me,” came Maki’s dry voice from behind her. “Anything I can carry?”

“Ah, maybe the curry? Elichi, could you gather the rest of the girls into the dining room?” Nozomi asked, fiddling with a stack of plates now. The blonde took them from her with a smile and pressed a soft kiss to Nozomi’s temple.

“Please don’t hurt yourself. I’ll take care of the rest, okay?”

Eli returned to the den which was comparatively small compared to the dining room. But that had been on Nozomi’s insistence when they were apartment hunting. It had to fit all of their friends.

Their family, really.

“Anyone hungry?” she asked and then bit back a laugh as many of them jumped up at once. She herded all of them into the dining room, her lovely flock.

Dinner was loud and boisterous and warm.

Honoka spilled something on Umi by accident but Kotori was ready with a napkin. Nico piled the rice into everyone’s bowls, taking care to add twice as much for Hanayo. And Nozomi teased Maki until her cheeks were pink although she hardly looked upset about the attention. Eli found herself playing peacemaker with Nozomi later as Maki and Nico got into another heated debate about something silly, the rest of the group dissolving into picking sides.

And then afterwards, they piled back into the den and soft music played in the background and Honoka (still their leader in a way) held up her glass.

“Happy Anniversary!” she giggled, cheeks flushed with alcohol, radiant as ever. “To Snow Halation!”

“Congrats, we’re old,” Nico sighed, but she was smiling softly too.

Nozomi was leaning against Eli heavily, her body warm and soft and all Eli could think was that this was truly home.

“It’s really been a decade,” Nozomi said, eyes seeking Eli’s before glancing about the room to each of their faces as though trying to commit the moment to memory.

“It was kind of what put us on the map as serious contenders,” Nico said, fiddling with her glass. “Even now, I think about that as our mark on the world.” 

“I remember the performance like it was yesterday!” Rin said, eyes bright, “You three almost missed it,” she said, looking to Honoka, Umi, and Kotori.

“Our schoolmates really saved us though,” Kotori smiled.

“They really did believe in us from the beginning,” Umi nodded, “I’m glad we won for their sake.”

“And the song was your wish,” Rin added, latching onto Nozomi in a tight hug that got a laugh out of the purple haired woman.

“It was! I’m surprised you remembered that too!” she joked, pinching Rin’s cheek.

“Hey! Give me some credit!”

“It was really amazing - maybe my favorite performance,” Kotori smiled.

“The crowd was so energetic that day,” Hanayo smiled.

“Can we watch it?!” Honoka suddenly asked. And then the room was bustling with excited chatter, Nico pulling the video up in seconds.

“Ah, I remember how cold it was!”

“I think I almost slipped there!”

“Hey, when it ended, what were you guys thinking about?” Eli asked. Several heads turned to her at once.

Honoka had a hand up to her chin in thought. Umi’s thoughtful frown returned.

Kotori answered first, “Thank God the costumes held.”

There was a burst of laughter.

Nico who was subtly following the choreography added, “I think you used to say that every time a performance was over.”

Kotori giggled and shrugged, “Well it was definitely something like that then.”

“I was just happy we pulled it off,” Maki said, eyes still glued to the screen, one of her feet tapping to the rhythm.

“I was thinking something similar. And that I really, really felt like an idol after the performance,” Hanayo said quietly, cheeks furiously red. Rin gave a long “Aw!” and swallowed her up in a hug.

“How about you, Elichi?” Nozomi asked as the rest of the group was busy chattering amongst themselves.

Eli pursed her lips and then shook her head, “I’m not sure exactly. But it really felt like a miracle. The song means a lot to so many people, us included. And I couldn’t have even imagined that we would be able to sit here together, after ten years, to reminisce about it. It was such a bright moment for us that it feels like it will never fade no matter what comes after.”

“That! That’s exactly what I was thinking too!” Honoka chirped up, having heard her. Eli felt her cheeks heat up but Honoka pressed on, “I know μ’s is over but I’m really grateful that it hasn’t changed anything between all of us! Just like we wanted.”

The whole group was quiet. But they were all smiling, all thinking and feeling the same thing. A decade later and their ties were still incredibly strong. And a part of Eli wondered how she could have ever worried about them losing touch.

And then Honoka got to her feet again.

“More drinks!” she cheered.

“Honoka, you’re on my foot!”

“Ah, sorry Umi!”

The room dissolved back into organized chaos. Eli leaned back into the couch, arm pulling Nozomi even closer to her. She pressed a gentle kiss to Nozomi’s cheek.

“Do you remember anything like that?” Eli prodded, eyes searching warm turquoise ones. “It was your idea after all.”

Nozomi blushed a bit and ducked her head but Eli managed to coax an answer out of her anyway.

“Hmm…I remember thinking that one of my wishes finally came true,” Nozomi said, turquoise eyes glimmering in the light, “It was the happiest I had ever felt.”

“Really?” Eli asked.

“Well, up until that point. Because since then, you’ve made all the other wishes I’ve had come true,” Nozomi winked.

Eli felt the warmth in her cheeks as she was rendered speechless for a moment. And then she hugged Nozomi to herself as the rest of μ’s teased them for being old saps.

But really, she wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“Ew, seriously get out,” Nico drawled.

Ah well, one minor change maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd just like to write more this year I think :) Thank you very much for reading!


End file.
